Wheel for vehicles



y F. w. BROWN f WHEEL rb n VEHICLES Filed Feb. 9. 1921 2 sheets-Sheena l W/r/vEssEs' /NvE/vron Mfmfa. e.

Patented Apr. 1927. y y UNIirTED' STATES PATENT orFlC-ll.l`

- FREDERICK WILLIAM BRW-N, 0F YORK, Eivcfzcnivn;`

Wminr.k nonV VEHICLES.

- Application. filed February 9; 1952.1,A Seri.a1No.-443;653, and` inGreat Britain February 11K, *1920;*

This invention relates to spring! Wheels ormotor cars and other Wheeled vehicles, and has for its object to Lreduce the vibration caused by theunevenness of the roads, or `in other Words to eil'ect the same purpose as pneumatic tyres.

` lor a Wheel' of three feet diameter. The

The spring Wheels constructed in accord ance with my invention each have `a: rim formed in segments and .hinged together. Any suitable number of segments may be used according. to vthe diameter of the.` Wheelbut sten' or twelve would be `found suitable Segments are provided` with treadsfot" rubber or other suitable substance to take the wear, and the segments are supported on crank levers pivoted betvveenftvvo sheet metal discs Which formthe outer sides ofthe Wheel, thel inner ends of the crank levers are connectedy to springs placed in the interior et the wheel. f Between the adjoining ends `oi the segments there are short spaces andr when the rim `is pressed inwards inpassing `over a stone the segments close together' at these parts so that the rim can contract and eXf pand circumferentally. y

.One of the objectsof myy invention isthat the spring. Wheel may runyevenly, and for this kpurpose Iuse an equa'lizing mechanism 3Q to connect-the crank levers to the springs so that as` the Wheel revolves, although the Weightis carried by a single crank lever and tensionfby metal stops placed between theirl coils so as to support the Weight voit the car `Without vbeing `stretched further. But when the vvlieel passes over a stone on the roadpthe segment aliected is pushed upwards until'it has 'passed clear of the stone. Means are `provided 'for regulating thestrength ot the springs to' suit varying loads on the car. and also to make them more flexibleit desirable. Strong supplementary .springs are'` also provided Which only come into use towards the '55: en'dot the radi'alvmovement o i'the segments.

Thus the ordinary .springs are made more flexible because the supplementary' springs support any extra weighton the Wheels,'

such for instance as Would be caused by centrifugal force when theicar turned acorner.; Means are also provided for lubricatingthe f various pivots fin the'wheel by smalldetachable Oilers heldin position by spring clips.

In order thatjmy invention may be better A understood I shallhereai'ter referto `thef drawings accompanying this specilication Whereonlike reference numerals denoteflike parts in the different figures.; l

f v n Sheet 15 Fig. l is a .partial side elevar tion ot the spring Wheel with the outerl side removed.

Fig. 2 is a diagramofv the strength of the springs.

Fig. Sis a side elevation ofthedruins used in the centre of the Wheel in connection with` theV equalizin'g levers and springs.

On Sheet 2, Fig. 4 is a partial si le elevan tion oi!l the links and equalizing. levers.

Fig. 5. is la side elevation of an equalizilng lever. of an alternative. form. Y

Fig. 6 is a side elevation. fof a' set of springs showing a control-ling lever at the lowerpartand a method ovfregulating the strengthof the springs` at the upper part ot theiigure. l

Fgs. 7 and` 8 y are partial ycross sections' of thelower part of the spring wheelv andtr'ead..

Referring to Fig. l. The spring Wheel ,as l

`shown has the rim consisting 'oft ten seg-I Y .ments, each segment having `1a rubber tread block 2 fixed to it. The segments areeach hinged at one enddirectto the crank levers 3 and at 1 the other endtoY a short U-vshaped link pivoted just*iadiallyy outwards ot the crank lever onithe adiacent segment, which' link connectional'lovvs for` circumferential movements in the segments so that their ends 1 endsy are connected to the equalizing levers 8 -may move together or apart at the spaces 5. l

by pivoted `links7 hinged centrally to 8.'-

yThe outer ends of 8 are connect-ed to the springs by .pivoted links 9 and l0, each of the levers 8 being connected to tivo sets'V of springs. Then the' wheel is in the .position shown` in Fig. 1 one crank lever is sustaining the Weight and thus two sets ot springs Would be in use. But When any segment of Vthe. rim is resting centrally on the road the Weight would." be carried -by tWio crank levers and thus thev Weight is mainly on one set of springs. In this latter position when the load on the car is normal the levers 8 would remain in their original position as shown in Fig. 4 by the full lines. Thus one fourth of the weight is carried by each outer link and one half of the weight by the two links which adjoin each other. But as the load is increased, only the springs for the two adjoining links would vield and the levers 8 would pivot over in proportion to the increase of weight, thus bringing the links 7 gradually nearer together until they are checked by the inner sides of the levers 8. In this position shown by the dotted lines, each link would be 'il-mrt two thirds of the width of the lever 8 from its outer pivot, so that approximately two thirds of the total weight comes on to the two adjoining links and about one sixth of the weight comes on the outer links.

The links 7 and 9 may have a number of short chains hinged to them as at 12 and 12a Fig. 5 so that as the radial movement is continued the levers 8 can pivot further over without increasing the leverage. During any radial movement of the rim segments the levers 8 by pivoting over would adjust the leverage exerted on the two adjoining links so that the support given by the springs is the same for any position of the wheel. The links 9 are pivoted to a series of short guide levers 13 hinged to the frame of the wheel, two adjoining links being connected to each guide lever. From these levers single pivoted links 10 connect with the levers which control the springs. One such lever being shown at 14, Fig. 6, a short link and chain 1G, F 1g. 6, connects the springs to a quadrant fixed to the link 14 and working on t-he same centre 15. IVhen the lever 14 is pulled round by the link 10 it moves the link to a greater distance from the centre pivot 15 and thus gradually obtains more leverage over the springs. The lever 14 is moving through the arc shown in Fig. 6 but not further than shown (where the link 10 would be tangential to the are) enables the spring to give a resistance curve as shown in Fig. 2, a to I), the line 0a showing the resistance at the beginning or" the movement and the line d b showing that at the end of' the movement. Thus the resistance increases regularly throughout the movement.

There are links 18 provided as in Fig. 4 connecting the centre pivots of the levers 8 to the guide levers 19 which are hinged to the disc drum 2O which is pivoted on the central axle tube 23. A. strong spring Q1 (which may be held in tension bv a. helical stop) is connected to the frame of the wheel and holds the drum Q0 in its normal position, and only comes into use when the crank levers stretch the ordinary springs beyond a certain limit, then the links 18 pull the levers 19 further and stretch the spring 21 which is supplementary to the ordinary springs and both acting together give an increased strength. IVhen the wheel has to support a. weight much above the normal load it would sink until the supplementary springs come into use. An alternative arrangement of supplementary springs is shown in Fig. 3. The links 18 and levers 19 are connected alternately to two drums 92 and 93. Links 96 and 97 connect the drums to two equalizing levers 98 and 99 which are hinged together, and hinged to the ends of three links which connect to springs 101. This arrangement having equalizing levers would enable the levers to run evenly on the supplementary springs.

I also fix circumferential rings 2Q Fig. 8, of rubber, to the curved sides of the frame of the wheel 40 to check the radial movement of the segments, the interior bearing surface of the segments towards the rings Q2 being made of a circular curve concentric with the rings so that the wheel could run evenly with the segments resting on the rings Q2.

The sides ot the levers 8, Fig. 5 are shaped so that when they come in contact with the chains 12 at ends of' the links 9 they alter the leverage exerted. The link 7 is hinged at 12- and bends when it comes in contact with the inner surfaces of the lever 8 which causes the leverage to be altered where required.

If the rim of the wheel is constructed with ten segments there would be ten sets of springs, viz: live sets on each side of the wheel, the links and equalizing levers oecupying the central plane of the wheel, the springs being on the outer sides. Only one set of springs is shown in Fig. 1 the other sets of springs being omitted to enable the equalizing levers to be more clearly shown, pivots are shown at 15 and thus give the relative positions of the other springs which are arranged alternately on opposite sides of the wheel.

The rim segments consist of an inner part 33 and an outer part 1 and are provided with an outer cover 34 Figs. 7 and 8, of canvas and rubber to keep out dirt. This cover passes between 33 and 1 and its upper edges are held to the disc sides of the wheel b v extensible spring wires running around the circumference, so as to be detachable. There are ribs 3G midway in the sides of the cover to stiften it and divide it into two parts which can bulge outwards in two curves when the tread ot the wheel moves in a radial direction.

The tread blocks Q Fig. 8 are of rubber or other suitable material. Each block is vulcanized to a metal base plate 38 which has dovetailed grooves formed in it to give security. The base plates have projecting bolts 39 at each end which pass through holes in the rim segment and are secured lll) ' in the other wheel.

I declare that what I claim is l. A spring wheel for motor cars and other wheeled vehicles having a contractible rimy constructed in segments l which are hinged to and supported on a series of crank levers pivoting within the wheel, their inner arms being connect-ed to springs by equalizing levers and links so that equal pressure would cause equal'radial movement at any part of the tread. i

2. A spring wheel having a contractible rim of segments hinged to a series of crank levers pivoted in the wheel and connected to equalizing levers and links placed in the wheel rand connected to springs placed towards the outer sides of 'the wheel.

3. A springwheel having a cont-ractible rim hinged to a series of crank levers and connected to equalizing levers and links place in the wheel and connected to springs placed alternately at opposite sides ofthe wheel. Y

4. In a spring wheel having a contractible rim hinged to a series of crank leverswhich are connected to equalizing levers and links, the combination therewith of pivoted levers interposed between the links and the springs.

5. In a spring wheel having a contractivcontractible rim ofsegments having rubber treads, a series of crank levers hinged te and supporting the rim andl connected to equalizing levers and links and to springs.

7 In a spring wheel the combination of a contractible rim of segments having rubber treads7 a series of crank levers hinged to and supporting the rim and connected by equalizing levers and links to springs held in tension.

8. In a spring wheel the combination of a contractible rim of segments having rubber treads, a series of crank levers hinged tov and supporting the rim, iiexibtle side covers between the rim and the wheel, rubber stops within' the wheel, and equalizing levers and links connecting the said crank levers to springs placed in the wheel. 9. In a spring wheel, the combination of a contractible rim of segments having rubber treads a series of crank levers hinged to and supporting the rim, rubber stops between the rim and the wheel, links and equalizing levers connecting the said crank levers to springs, and pivoted levers interposed between the links and t-he springs.

FREDERICK WILLIAM BROWN. 

